Burial-receptacle.



PATENTED AUG. 11, 190s.`

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. G. F. MUGRIFF. BURIAL REGEPTACLE.

APPLICATION FILED APE. 4, 190s.

N0 MODEL` PNJENTED AUG. 1l, 1903.

Nol 735,998.

J. C. F. I\C[OGRIPF.

BURIAL RECBPTACLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, v1903.

2 SHEETS-Saum.

N0 MODEL rv m n w n ad m: Ncmms PETERS c, Puooumo., wAsmNoToN. u. c.

Y iro @ZZ whom, t may concern.

Patented August 11, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. F. MOGRIFF, OF WARREN, PENNSYLVANIA. I

BURIAL-RECEPTACLE.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent N o. 735,998, dated August11, 1903.

Application tiled April 4, 1903. Serial No. 151,072. (No model.)

Be it known that I, JOHN C. F. MCGRIFF, a citizen of the United States,residing at lVarren, inthe county of Warren and State of Pennsylvania,have invented new and useful Improvements in Burial-Receptacles, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in devicesor receptacles-V designed to hold the bodies of deceased personspreparatory to the deposit of such bodies into caskets or otherburial-receptacles for entombment, cremation, ordeposit in the ground;and my invention consists of the improved burial-receptacle andthe partsand constructions and combinations of parts thereof which I willhereinafter describe and claim.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of referenceindicate like parts throughout the several views, Figure l is aperspective view of a burial-receptacle embodying the salient featuresof my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view ofthe same on the line.r of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a receptacle ofmodiiied form. Fig. 4 is a side elevation, partly broken away, ofanother form of receptacle. Fig. 5 is a crosssection of Fig. 4. Fig. 6is an lenlarged detail.

The present invention .relates to and is an improvement on thereceptacle described and claimed in my former patent,No. 684, 293,datedOctober S, 190i, and in use the receptacle may be associated with anydesired form of burial casket, coffin, case, or receptacle devised forthe reception of the bodies of deceased persons and intended fordepositinthe gro und, in vaults or tombs, or incremation-furnaces,substantially as disclosed in my aforesaid formerpatent; but the use of the present receptacle is unrestricted, andtherefore is not confined to any particular form of outer receptacle orcontainer for said receptacle.

The receptacle or support A herein shown may be constructed of metal orother material, in whole or in part, and is in its preferred formprovided with a flattened bottom a, curved sides h, and head and footrests c and Cl, said bottom and sides and rests being appropriatelyupholstered in any well-known or desired manner. In addition to theinterior iinish thus produced bythe upholstering the exterior of thesides and ends or rests may be ornamented by various designs, emblems,or other characteristics, which ornamentation, designs, (he. may be ofany desired character and finish. The receptacle is also preferablyprovided with some form of handle or means permitting the carrying ofthe receptacle by the body-bearers, and these handles may be lof anyofthe well-known forms and located at any desired points on thereceptacle. One form of such handles I illustrate herein in Fig. 4 asconsisting of rods B, extending lengthwise of the sides of thereceptacle and disposed verti- Y cally above the upper ends of thecurved sides b and supported by brackets or standards e, which rods mayalso be appropriately ornamentedor shaped to suit the requirements.-

Another form of handle is shown in Fig. l at B as consisting of theWell-known drop-handle common in casket construction.

In the present device I prefer to provide substantially a rigid closurefor the receptacle and which closure may be drawn over the body tolconceal the same from view when the body is ready for placing in itscasket or place of final deposit. closure is in the form of curtains ofiiexible material, which are slidably arranged to be drawn up over thereceptacle to entirely conceal the body after the latter has been placedupon the receptacle and withdrawn to expose the body to view, ifdesired.

Various arrangements of closures may be provided; but in any case Iprefer to form the closure of relatively stiff material, and itsarrangement relative to the bodyT of the receptacle may be varied Withincertain limits.

In the present construction I prefer to use, although I do not limitmyself thereto, metallic closures, which may be appropriatelyupholstered on the inner sides and have their outer surfaces shaped orornamented in harmony with the other parts o f the receptacle and togive a pleasing and attractive appearance to the whole device.

In Fig. l the closure consists of two mem bers b' of curved form,havingone edge hinged approximately along the line of the upper edge of thesides of the body of the receptacle, said members when closed inwardlyabout their hinged connection meeting approximately in the longitudinalcentral line of the receptacle and concealing from view the body of thede In the said prior patent this IOO ceased person and said members whenswung open lying exterior to the outer sides of the body of thereceptacle and with their upholstered inner surfaces exposed. As anincident to these members when open the open trough formed by theirconcaved or dished form may be utilized as a receiver for owers. Thehead and foot rests (one or both) I also prefer to hinge, so that theupper portion or section c' d maybe let down to more effectively exposethe body of the deceased person, said rests being appropriately finishedand ornamented on the outer sides and iinished by upholstering orotherwise on the interior, and when the side closures are broughttogether, as in Fig. l, the hinged members of the head and foot restsare closed upon (either over or under) the ends of the hinged closuresto conceal these ends and make a neat joint and finish, said hingedmembers of the rests being held in their raised position by anywellknown form of fastening, as at l0. In addition to this a fasteningoi' some well-known kind, as a hook and stud at l2, may serve to fastenthe closures together near their longitudinal central points. It is notessential,

however, that the closure should consist of two oppositely closinghinged members, as above described, as substantially the same resultswill be obtained when a single closure is used,-as at D in Fig. 3, saidclosure in this instance being hinged along one edge to one of the sidesof the body of the receptacle and having its opposite edge to beappropriately secured. Furthermore, if desired, I may use alongitudinallyslidable closure, as in Fig. 4, in which instance theclosure is divided transversely, one member, E, being iixed and theother member, F, being slidablyi'nounted relative to the iirst-namedmember, so that it may be slid open and closed to expose or conceal thebody of the deceased, and when closed the movable member is secured byany wellknown and appropriate fastening medium. Also, if

desired, the closure may have a glazed opening G, through which thefeatures of the deceased may be viewed even when the receptacle isclosed.

In eitherof the foregoinginstances thehead and foot rests may have thehinged members before described and these members close over or underthe ends of the closure with a neat joint and iinish, as before alludedto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Iatent, is-

l. A body-support adapted to form a receptacle for a body preparatory tothe deposit thereof in a casket, said support including a base portionanda rigid closure therefor said closure hinged along the side of thebase portion and having substantially a curved inner wall adapted, whenthe closure is open, to form a receptacle for flowers.

2. A body-support designed as a receptacle for a body preparatory to thedeposit thereof in a casket said support including a base portion and aclosure therefor said closure hinged along the sides of said baseportion and being substantially of segmental form. whereby when it isopened outwardly its concave portion is presented upwardly to form acontainer for floral offerings.

A body-support designed as a receiver for a body preparatory to thedeposit of said support in a casket, said support including a baseportion having end rests; a closure for said base portion said closureincluding two segmental members Aeach hinged along one of the sides ofthe base member and adapted when turned outwardly, to present theirconcaved sides upwardly, whereby they serve as containers for floralofferings; and means for securing the members of the closure when thelatter are closed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

.lOl-IN C. F. MGGRIFF.

IVitnesses:

CHAPMAN W. FowLEn, T. IV. FOWLER.

